Field emission devices (FEDs) are known in the art and commonly employed as electronic devices. FEDs are, typically, comprised of at least an electron emitter, for emitting electrons, and an extraction electrode, proximally disposed with respect to the electron emitter. Other FED structures may employ an anode for collecting at least some of any emitted electrons.
In one application of FEDs a plurality of FEDs is selectively operably interconnected as independent groups of FEDs to provide prescribed electron emission levels determined by which of the groups of the plurality of groups is in the active (on) mode. A shortcoming of this method of realizing distinct electron emission levels is that large arrays of FEDs need be employed since each distinct electron emission level is realized by a particular group of FEDs of the array of FEDs.
Accordingly, there is a need for an electronic device employing FEDs and a method for realizing FEDs which overcomes at least some of these shortcomings.